Fish are Friends
by KathyPrior42
Summary: What happens when a vegetarian shark meets a group of sharks who claim "fish are friends, not food?"


Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a great white shark swam alone. He had left his home after he could not meet his father's expectations. For this shark named Lenny, kelp and seaweed were his choice of food. In fact, he often thought about befriending fish instead of eating them. Seafood tasted disgusting to Lenny. His father Don Lino, however, was not pleased that his son was a vegetarian. He was proud of his older son Frankie who did everything he was supposed to do. Frankie enjoyed killing his prey and picking on his younger brother. Lenny could still hear his father's criticizing words, "Son, you're going to learn how to be a shark, whether you like it or not."

After Frankie was crushed by an anchor, Lenny was devastated. Even after Frankie slapped him and called him a moron just before his death, Lenny could not stop bawling. Lenny believed that he did the right thing by saving a blue and yellow fish from being eaten. However, he still blamed himself for his brother's death. If he had eaten the fish, perhaps Frankie would still be alive. He had not felt this sad since his mother had passed away. If only Frankie could have taken over their family business and Lenny could live freely among the fish. If Lino and the rest of the sharks were not accepting of his odd tastes so to speak, they would really not accept him now, after what happened.

Lenny swam some more and came across an old sunken ship, much like the one his family lived in. The hull was rusted and there was a hole that split the long ship in the middle. Around the ship, Lenny saw depth charges that looked like metal balls. They were supported by chains that came from the seafloor. Lenny peeked into the ship to see what was inside. There were no treasure chests or a fancy restaurant like the one back at his home. Rusted pipes snaked up to the cracked ceiling and grates lined the floor. He was about to swim away when he heard some noises close by. He looked through a hole and could not believe his eyes.

A great white shark swam to the ship. He looked bigger than Lenny's father and his rows of sharp teeth could have scared the fins off Franke. Lenny looked in shock at what the shark was carrying with his fins. In one fin was a blue tang with yellow fins. She stared off into space and let herself be carried along as if a friend were taking her to a party. In his other fin was a smaller orange clownfish with white stripes. His eyes were wide with fear and he looked around for an escape. "Anchor! Chum!" the great white called. A copper colored hammerhead shark and a black and white mako shark appeared from inside the hole. "There you are, Bruce finally called the hammerhead." "We've got company," Bruce said with a big grin. The two sharks pushed each other to try and get the fish.

' _Oh no_ ,' thought Lenny, ' _those sharks are going to eat those poor fish_.' As the fish got closer to the sharks, Lenny worked up his courage to confront the sharks. "Hey leave those fish alone," yelled Lenny, putting himself between Bruce and his shark friends. The two sharks looked at each other confused and Bruce asked, "Whoa calm down," said Bruce holding his fin up and releasing the fish. "I am just introducing them to my friends!" "You were about to eat them." Lenny yelled. He went up to the fish to comfort them, but the orange one swam back in fear and the blue one was looking around. Bruce rang a bell, swam up to a rusted sink he used as a podium and called the room to order.

"All right, this meeting has officially come to order," he said. "Now let's all say the pledge." He and the other sharks raised their right fins and even the blue tang joined in, getting a bewildered look from the clownfish. They cited, "I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food." "Except stinkin' dolphins," said Anchor. "Dolphins" asked Chum, "Yeah I think they're so cute!" He then did a funny dolphin impression. "'Oh look at me, I'm a flippin' little dolphin, let me flip for you!'"

' _Wow,'_ Lenny thought. ' _There are really sharks like me'?_ He never imagined that there would be sharks who did not eat fish. Were they vegetarian like he was? Bruce spoke up again, "Now today's meeting is step five: bring a fish friend. Now do you all have your friends?" "I've got mine" said Anchor, lifting his fin and revealing a small terrified green fish. "Hi there," Dory said with a wave at the green fish. "What about you Chum," asked Bruce. "Right, well," he stuttered, "I seemed to have misplaced my… um… friend…" He revealed fish bones between his teeth and sucked them back in. "It's alright Chum," said Bruce with a laugh. "I had a feeling this would be your biggest step. You can hang out with one of our friends." "Oh thanks mate," said Chum, flipping Marlin with his fin. Lenny noticed that the little green fish had swum out into the ocean. Bruce looked over at Lenny and said, "How about you?" "Well," said Lenny. "I actually saved one fish from being eaten by my brother. I couldn't bring him here but I'm sure…"

His words were cut off by some noise coming from outside. Lenny slowly looked outside to see a fish… dancing on the top of the ship? It was not just any fish but the same blue and yellow one that Lenny had saved. The other sharks started to swim out but Lenny put his black fin in front of them, holding them back. The fish looked like he was mixing dancing and karate moves together. "Ah yeah," he said. "No shark is gonna mess with me. I'm Oscar, the Shark slayer! Wham! Pow! Hi-ya!" He punched and kicked the water, yelling fighting noises. Bruce put his fin to his face and Marlin rolled his eyes. Dory was trying not to laugh. "Yeah, that would be my friend," sighed Lenny. Oscar swam down and danced some more. He turned around and saw the sharks. With a scream, he sped off into the distance, bubbles appearing then vanished. Lenny was about to go after him, but Bruce said. "Wait mate. Let's let that crazy fish go off on his own. He will be fine." Lenny knew that this Oscar fish was no shark slayer. He knew that the anchor had killed his brother and that he was trying to gain attention. Lenny sighed and swam back down to the meeting area.

"Okay, I'll start with the testimonies," Bruce said, back up at the sink. "Hello, my name is Bruce." "Hello Bruce," said the sharks in a boring tone. It was clear that the sharks had heard his speeches many times. "It's been three weeks since my last fish, on my honor, I'll have it chopped up and made into soup." The sharks clapped their fins. "You're an inspiration to all of us," said Chum admiringly. "Yeah mate," said Anchor. "Right then, who's next," asked Bruce. "Oh oh oh, pick me, pick me!" said the blue tang. Bruce moved aside for the fish and she went up and faced the audience. "Hi, I'm Dory," she said. "Hello, Dory," said everyone. "Well, I don't think I have ever eaten a fish," she said. She was met with claps and cheers. "Wow, that's incredible!" exclaimed Chum. "Good on ya, mate!" Bruce cheered. Dory sighed with relief, "I am glad I got that off my chest."

"All right, anyone else?" Bruce asked. Lenny raised his fin. "Go on up, mate" said Bruce to Lenny. Dory swam back and Lenny took the stage. "Hi, I'm Lenny. "Hello Lenny," they said. "Don't laugh at me, but I have never eaten a fish. I'm a vegetarian." The sharks stood in silence with their mouths open surprise. Even Dory was serious for a moment. Then Lenny got a big round of applause from everyone. "Wow, unbelievable!" said Bruce. "He should be the next leader," exclaimed Chum who got a glare from Bruce. Lenny smiled, finally feeling like he fit in.

"Who's next," asked Bruce. "How about you, mate? What's your problem?" he asked, looking at the orange fish. "Oh, I don't have a problem." "Oh okay," said Bruce sarcastically. "Denial!" the sharks said at the same time, knocking Marlin to the front with their fins. "Just start with your name," said Bruce. The frightened fish was shaking but managed to say "Okay, uh, hello. My name is Marlin. I'm a clownfish." "A clownfish? Really," asked Bruce. The three sharks swam up close as Bruce said, "Go on. Tell us a joke!" "Oh, I love jokes!" said Chum. "Well, I do know one that's pretty good," stuttered Marlin. "There's a mollusk and he walks up to a sea cucumber. Normally they don't talk but in a joke, everyone talks. So the mollusk says to the sea cucumber…"

Marlin looked at a green and black scuba mask hanging on a pole. "Nemo," Marlin suddenly said, swimming upward. "Nemo, ha ha Nemo," Chum laughed, clapping his fins then fell silent. 'The clownfish is not that funny," mumbled Bruce. "No no, he's my son. He was taken by these divers." "Oh you poor fish," said Dory sadly. Bruce looked like he was about to cry. "Now there is a father, looking for his little boy…" Marlin and Dory were reading the writing on the mask. Frustrated, Marlin asked "What do these markings mean?" "I never knew my father!" Bruce sobbed then broke down. Chum, Anchor and Lenny gave him hugs. "I'm so sorry,' said Lenny. "I know how it feels to lose a family member." Lenny looked off to the side. ' _I bet those beings that killed his dad also killed Frankie,'_ Lenny thought.

"I can't read human," said Marlin. "Then we better find a fish who does," said Dory. Lenny looked down and saw Marlin and Dory fighting over the mask. "Hey, that's mine, give it back," said Dory. The mask snapped back and hit Dory in the face. "Ow," she yelled. She held her nose and Marlin said "I'm so so sorry." "You really caught me there. Am I bleeding?" Blood floated from Dory and into Bruce's nostrils. "Dory are you oka…ohhh that's good," he moaned, sniffing the blood. "Intervention," yelled Chum and Anchor, looking at each other, then rushing at Bruce. "Just a bite," said Bruce in a frenzy, thrashing against the wall. Anchor and Chum were holding them down, but Bruce was moving fast. "Fish are friends, not food," they said but Bruce broke free of their grip. "Lenny slapped Bruce and yelled "Get a hold of yourself!" He was met with a hard shove as Bruce rushed past him and yelled "Food!" Marlin and Dory swam was fast as their fins could carry them. Bruce crashed through a grate and cried, "I'm having fish tonight!" Chum shouted advice, but they didn't seem to hear.

Lenny was horrified. Those sharks were fine at first, but Bruce had turned as violent and hungry as Frankie did, perhaps even more. He hoped that the fish had safely escaped. After a while, Lenny spotted the fish again. Bruce had them trapped in a hole with a torpedo! Bruce tried again and again to bite them, but he was too big to reach them. The other sharks tried to help. Bruce banged against the hole, trying to catch the fish. "Sorry about…" Bang! "…Bruce, mate" Chum said to the fish. Anchor soon joined in, dodging Bruce's movements. "He's really…" Bang! "…a nice guy!" Bang! "I need to get that mask," said Marlin. "You want the mask?" asked Dory. They screamed as part of the torpedo moved into Bruce's mouth. "Quick, grab the mask, grab it!" shouted Marlin. Dory grabbed it and they both swam to safety.

Bruce thrashed, trying to get the torpedo out of his mouth. The torpedo flew out and slowly floated down to the floor. "Oh no. Bruce…" Chum muttered with concern. "What?" asked Bruce, coming out of his frenzy. The torpedo was floating toward a metal ball. Bruce gasped and shouted "Swim away! Swim away!" The sharks quickly swam off, while the two fish made their way from their hiding spot. "Aww, is the party over?" groaned Dory. The torpedo touched the ball and it exploded, along with the other depth charges. After the explosions ended, Lenny swam off into the direction that Oscar went. Lenny would befriend him and hopefully he would be accepted by the other fish. He hoped that he would be free to be himself and not have to worry about meeting his father's expectations. He saw Oscar hide in some kelp and quietly went to join him. "Lenny," a shark called. "Lenny," the shark called again in a louder voice. He got slapped by another shark swimming by. "Hey, quiet down! There's a shark slayer out here! Do you wanna be next?" "Oh," the first shark said, realizing his mistake. "Lenny, Lenny" he whispered as the second shark rolled his eyes. The sharks swam out of sight. "That was close," Oscar whispered. "Super close," said Lenny. Oscar froze in place and slowly looked up.


End file.
